§ 94. Mr. Kirkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the present situation regarding fire safety in hotels; what steps he proposes to take; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThere is a need to strengthen and rationalise the law on this subject and proposals will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time permits. A working party, on which the hotel industry is represented, is also at present engaged in preparing a model code of 41W practice on fire precautions and means of escape in hotels and similar residential establishments. Meanwhile, as they were recently reminded in a Home Office circular, local authorities have power under Section 60 of the Public Health Act, 1936, to require means of escape to be provided in certain cases; and advice on all fire prevention matters is freely available to hotel managements on request from fire authorities.